Speed control



May 17, 1938. R. J. KALBRElr-:R 2,117,963

SPEED CONTROL Filed Aug. e, 195e 2 sheets-sheet 1 ff'y.

|NvEN-ron ATTORNEYS May 17, 1938. R. .1. KALBREIUER SPEED CONTROL Filed Aug. 6, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS fil Patented May 17, 193s UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 6,

6I Claims.

My invention relatesto internal combustion engines of the type employed in automotive vehicles, and includes among its objects and advantages the provision of an improved speed control.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of an engine showing my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the speed indicating dial;

Fig. 'I is a sectional view along the line I-I of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

In the embodiment selected to illustrate my invention, I make use of an automotive vehicle engine I8 including the usual intake manifold I2, carburetor I4 and the conduit connection I6 between the carburetor and the intake manifold. The carburetor I4 is provided with the usual choke valve I8 operated through the medium of a button 28 supported on the instrument panel 22. This button is connected with a wire 24 enclosed within a flexible housing 26. Choke valve I8 is supported by a rotatably mounted shaft 28 having an arm 38 xedly connected with one end thereof. This arm is in turn connected with the wire 24. The structure so far described is conventional.

A throttle valve 32 is mounted on a rotatable shaft34, which shaft is fixedly connected with an arm 36. Arm 36 is operatively connected with the accelerator pedal 38 through the medium of a link 48 movably connected with a lever 42 pivotally connected at 44 upon a bracket 46 mounted on the wall 48. The opposite end of the lever 42 is movably connected with a link 58, which in for operating 1936, Serial No. 94,664

justed to determine the throttling position of the valve 32.

I arrange 'an abutment 58 in the path of the arm 52 for limiting the opening movement of the valve 32. Abutment 58 may be adjusted through the medium of a knob 68 carried by the instrument panel 22 for varying the maximum speed of the engine.

In Fig. 4, the abutment 58 includes a tubular part 62 having internal threads 64 which have threaded relation with a screw 66. The part 62 is slidably mounted within a tubular support 68 having a groove 18 for receiving the key 12 car- 'ried by the part 62. The key 12 restrains the part 62 from rotary movement, but permits the member to move longitudinally of the support 68 when the screw 66 is turned. To mount the support 68 I position a bracket 14 between the flanges 16 of the conduit I6. These ilanges are .pressed against the bracket 14 by bolts 18. The bracket I4 terminates in a strap 88 which is bent about the support 68, and the end of the strap is bent to provide a reach 82 arranged in slightly spaced relation with the bracket 14. Aligned openings are provided in the reach 82 and the bracket 14 for the reception of a bolt 84 which draws the strap 88 firmly about the support 68 for fxedly supporting the latter.

One end of the screw 66 includes asocket 86 within which I xedly anchor one end of the 30 flexible element 88 which is operatively connected with the knob 68. The element 88 comprises two coiled wire members, one arranged within the other and coiled in opposite directions. Such devices are well known in the art. Referring to Fig. '7, the opposite end of the member 88 is xedly anchored within a socket 88 carried by one end of the shaft 92 upon which the knob 68 is xedly connected by a set screw 94. I rotatably mountthe socket 88 within a tubular member 96 xedly connected within the bore 98 in the boss |88 carried bythe housing |82. The set screw |84 anchors the tubular member 96. 'I'he element 88 is enclosed Within a coiled tubular member |86 which has one end xedly connected within the tubular member 96 by a set screw |88 and its other end xedly connected within the bore IIII of the support 68. I weld the member |86 to the support 68, as indicated at il2.

I connect the housing |82 with the instrument 50 panel 22 by a bolt |I4. An opening I I6 in 'the housing |82 accommodates the boss |88. Within the housing |82 I mount a dial I I8 which is fixedly connected with lugs |28 projecting inwardly of the housing by screws |22. I arrange a needle boss |30 carried by the housing |20.

Cil

|24 in indicating relation with the dial ||8, which needle is iixedly connected with a shaft |26 rotatably mounted within the bore |28 of the I enlarge the shaft |26 at |32 and provide this part with a threaded opening for the reception of a screw |34 which passes through a washer |36 which extends over the ledge |38 to prevent axial shifting of the shaft |26 in one direction. Axial shifting of the shaft in the opposite direction is prevented by a gear |40 iixedly mountedon the shaft |26 and having geared relation with a pinion |42 fixedly mounted on the shaft 92. Thus, it will be seen that rotation of the knob 60 imparts rotary movement to the shaft |26 which shifts the needle with respect to the dial reading |44 on the dial IIB. Rotation of the shaft 82 imparts rotary motion to the screw 66 which changes the abutting relation between the abutment 58 and the arm 52.

The dial reading |44 may be in terms of miles per hour for the vehicle with the ratio of the fears |40 and |42 proportioned such that the position of the abutment 58 will limit the speed to the reading indicated by the needle |24.

I provide the housing |02 Ywith a cover |46 which includes a flange |48 arranged to frictionally embrace the side walls of the housing. This cover is provided with a flange |50 defining a sight opening, which sight opening is closed by a glass |52. The periphery of the glass fits snugly within the iiange |50 and lies against the retaining ilange |52 and is held in assembled relation with the flanges |50 and 52 by a bezel |54 which is pressed into the flange |50.

Within the housing |02 I mount an electric bulb' |56 for illuminating the dial H8. The threaded part |58 of the bulb is carried by a socket |60 having threaded relation with the bore |62 in the housing. A wire |64 is connected with the screw ||4 which has electrical contact with the housing |02. A second wire |66 is electrically connected with a contact |68 carried by the socket |60 and insulated therefrom, as indicated at |16. The source of current for the bulb |56 is indicated at |12. The wire |66 is provided with a switch |14 for opening and closing the socket through the bulb |56. I position the bulb |56 above the glass |52 so that the cover |46 shades the bulb from the eyes of the driver and other occupants of the car, but the position of the bulb is such as to effectively illuminate the dial ||8.`

When the accelerator pedal 38 is depressed, the valve 32 is moved in an opening direction and is limited only by reason of the abutment 58. Link 50 is fixedly connected Within a bore |16 in a tubular member |18 which is connected with the ball |80 carried by the arm 36 for imparting rotary motion to the shaft 34. Within the tubular member |18 I mount two springs |82 which urge blocks |84 against the ball |80. One of the springs |82 has abutting relation with the bottom |86 'of the tubular member |18, while the other spring |82 has abutting relation with a plug |88 having threaded relation at |90 with the open end of the tubular member. These springs are under compression when assembled within the tubular member |18 so that the arm 36 will be oscillated when the link 50 is moved through the medium of the accelerator pedal 38'.

The blocks |84 are recessed at |82 to partly embrace the ball |80 so as to be held in connected relation therewith because of the spring tension. I slot the tubular member |18 at |84 for freely receiving the arm 36. This slot has one end terminating in an opening |96 of suflicient diameter to receive the ball |80 for assembly purposes. Normal shifting of the ball |80 within the tubular member |18 remains short of the opening |96. The tension of the springs |82 effectively hold the parts together when assembledl according to Fig. 3.

The springs |82 perform a cushioning function so as to prevent damage to the arms 36 or'52 in case of abnormal forces on the link 50 through the medium of the pedal 38. The slot |94 is of sufficient length to accommodate relative shifting of the tubular member |18 with respect to the arm 36 in case of abnormal forces on the accelerator pedal 38 after the arm 52 has engaged the fixed abutment 58.

My inventionis designed for association with carburetors of conventional design and may be attached thereto without necessitating reconstuction of the carburetor. The dial mechanism and the connection between the dial mechanism and the speed control may be attached to the con ventional instrument board. The speed of the engine is easily limited through adjustment of the knob 60.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain my invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim: i

1. 'I'he combination with a throttle valve, of an abutting element xedly connected with the throttle valve, manually operated means connected with the throttle valve for actuating the same, a xed guide member, an abutment slidably related to said guide member and arranged in the path of said abutting element, to limit the opening adjustment of the throttle-valve, manually actuated means for shifting the abutment, and a screw connection between the abutment and said manually actuated means.

2. The combination with a throttle valve, of an abutting element iixedly connected with the throttle valve, manually operated means connected with the throttle valve for actuating the same, a iixedly mounted tubular guide member, an abutment slidable longitudinally inside the tubular guide member and having an end arranged in the path of said abutting element, to limit the opening adjustment of the throttle valve, means cooperable on the tubular guide member and said abutment for restraining the latter from relative rotary movement, and manually actuated means having a screw connection with said abutment for adjusting the same.

3. The combination with a throttle valve, of an abutting element flxedly connected with the throttle valve, manually operated means connected with the throttle valve for actuating the same, a fixedly mounted hollow guide member,

van. abutment slidably mounted in said hollow guide member and arranged in the path of said abutting element, to limit the opening adjustment of the throttle valve, and manually actuated'screw means cooperating with said abutment for shifting the same.

4. The combination with a throttle valve, of an abutting element fixedly connected with the throttle valve, manually operated means connected with the throttle valve for actuating the same, an open-ended, fxedly-mounted guide, an abutment comprising a shank slidably mounted in said guide projecting through one open end of the latter and a head arranged in the path of said abutting element, to limit the opening adannees justment of the throttle valve, said shank being provided with a threaded bore, and manually actuated means extending through the other open end of the guide and having threaded relation with said threaded bore for shifting the position of the head in the path oi said abutting element.

5. The combination with a throttle valve, oi' an abutting element ilxedly connected with the throttle valve, manually operated means connected with the throttle valve for actuating the same, an open-ended tubular guide flxedly mounted, an abutment slidably related to said guide and projecting beyond one end of the same to position its end in the path of said abutting element, said abutment being provided with a threaded bore, a screw operating within said threaded bore. a ilexible manually actuated devlce ixedly connected with said screw and extending through the other open end of the guide, and a flexible housing for said ilexible manually actuated device and xedly connected with said guide.

6. The combination with a throttle valve xedly connected with a rotatable shaft, of a rst arm and a second arm xedly connected with the shaft, manually operated means resiliently connected with said ilrst arm for actuating the throttle valve, a guide member, an abutment slidably related to said guide member and arranged in the path of said second arm, to limit the opening adjustment of the throttle valve, and manually actuated means connected with said abutment for adjusting the same.

ROBERT J. KALB'REIER. 

